Shack fires in Manenberg led to Metro Police nabbing a drug dealer.
The blaze broke out in Pecos Walk just after 4pm on Monday, when two shacks caught alight.
However, due to the ongoing gang violence, fire services required an escort from Metro Police, who made the arrest.
Mayco member for Community Safety, JP Smith, said: “While on duty, the trained eyes of Metro Police picked up the body language of a person passing by and asked him to produce what was in the plastic shopping bag he was carrying.
“An assortment of drugs including 18 full and 11 half mandrax tablets, six packets of tik, three dagga stoppe and R2177 was then discovered.”
He says the man was arrested and will face charges of possession of drugs.
A resident told the Daily Voice they suspect the fire was started by skollies who are trying to intimidate residents.
“It’s been an all-out war in the area for the last few weeks because the gangsters are fighting each other and the people are bang. They come around here and want the youngsters to join them but when they try to say no, then they get threatened.
“Somebody said guys were throwing stuff earlier and then the fire started, so it must have been started by something they threw there.”
The resident added that six people lived in the two shacks that burnt down.
Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson Edward Bosch says a woman and a girl were treated for smoke inhalation and the cause of the fire has not been established.